Le Pen vote shocks Europe

[Prometheus]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1942000/1942929.stm

Monday, 22 April, 2002, 15:04 GMT 16:04 UK
Le Pen vote shocks Europe

There has been condemnation across Europe

Senior European politicians have expressed alarm at Jean-Marie Le Pen's strong showing in the French presidential election while it was welcomed by fellow leaders of the far right.
Mr Le Pen won enough votes to take on Jacques Chirac in the run-off in two weeks' time.

[The result] throws a great dirty rock into the European political pool

"I hope that all democratic powers will unite against right-wing extremism and xenophobia," said Sweden's Social Democrat Prime Minister, Goran Persson.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said that the share of the vote obtained by France's far right was "alarming".

But he stressed that the run-off election on 5 May was the main issue.

Poland's Social Democrat Prime Minister, Leszek Miller, said that Mr Le Pen's success posed a threat to the European Union.

"The slogan of Le Pen's campaign was 'First France and the French'," he told Reuters.

"Le Pen did nothing to hide his scepticism towards an open Europe, a tolerant Europe, and in his rhetoric he constantly underlined his hatred of foreigners."

In Britain politicians united to express what European Commissioner Neil Kinnock called their "shock and horror" at the result.

Mr Kinnock said the level of support expressed for the extreme right-winger threw "a great dirty rock into the European political pool".

Rise of the right

Mr Le Pen's shock defeat of the Socialist candidate, Lionel Jospin, follows a series of far-right election successes beginning in Austria two years ago and continuing through Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.

It's not surprising that French voters are moving to a far-right party - they have the same problems of insecurity, of immigration and political corruption

There were expressions of support for Mr Le Pen among some of Europe's other far-right parties which have been on the rise.

"I'm very, very pleased that Le Pen scored such a large victory", said Filip Dewinter, leader of the Vlaams Blok in Belgium.

"It's not surprising that French voters are moving to a far-right party. They have the same problems of insecurity, of immigration and political corruption..."

In Austria, where sanctions were imposed in 2000 after Joerg Haider's Freedom Party entered a coalition government, a spokesman called the vote a "slap in the face for the inventors and initiators of the EU sanctions against the Austrian Government".

But in Italy the National Alliance, which is part of the government, played down Mr Le Pen's share of the vote.

"Le Pen collected protest votes but he is not an alternative," said Maurizio Gasparri, the communications minister and a member of the party which can trace its roots back to Mussolini's Fascist party.

 

[Prometheus]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,11882,689125,00.html


'We are afraid. France is finished'

Across the Arab and Jewish communities, the first round result is seen as deeply disturbing

Tuesday April 23, 2002
The Guardian

On the wrong side of the Boulevard Peripherique, the grimy ring road around Paris, Arabs of all ages are deeply disturbed by the massive turnout for Jean-Marie Le Pen.
In Porte de Clignancourt, north Paris, a no man's land between the middle classes and the dark suburbs, Hamid, 40, from Algeria, said the election shows that "people are like sheep".

Hatem, a 21-year-old of Tunisian descent, said his father told him after the election results: "I am afraid for your generation."

Farida and her friend Rachida, two French-Algerians from Villeneuve-Saint-Georges on the outskirts of Paris, were fired up with determination.

Rachida, 20, was outraged by the first-round result. "To all the French neighbours who say 'bonjour' to us like hypocrites, I would like to say that the result is totally abusive. We have to mobilise, we have to regroup."

Farida, 19, said: "I'm going to tell everyone to vote in the second round and to vote for Chirac."

She added: "I'm going to vote for Chirac."

Hassan, 34, an Algerian who lives in the Paris dormitory town of Argenteuil, said his friends now regretted voting for the minor leftwing parties, splitting the vote for Lionel Jospin.

"They didn't expect Le Pen to get through on the first round. But they'll vote in the second round to make sure he falls flat on his face," he said.

Kadr, 40, also Algerian, said Le Pen played the trump card - fear. People were also fed up with the left and right, who had become mired in the middle ground of "cohabitation".

The fear is not confined to the Arab community. Franck, a Jew whose brother-in-law voted for Le Pen, said: "Around us, there is a lot of fear. We are taking precautions. I'm ready to pack my bags and leave."

Franck, 54, and Tunisian-born, said: "This is an atom bomb. The people who voted for Le Pen didn't know what they were doing.

"For the past two months, Jewish people have been leaving. There are queues outside Jewish travel agencies. We are very afraid. France is finished."

 

[growin']

Well, if French politicians are anything like US politicians, there won't be any drastic changes anyways. This could be interesting though.

Quick to surrender, quick to judge, isn't it time we start hating the French again? -SNL April, 2002

 

[Aryan_Soldat]

Vive La France!

Its interesting to me, how the EU, condemns the electorate of different countries when they actually elect leaders that represent PEOPLE rather than monied interests. Maybe now, the EU globocrats will listen to Europeans when they voice their dissatisfaction with Europe's disasterous immigration policies.

The Aryan Soldat

 

[3Vandoo]

Vive La France!

Its interesting to me, how the EU, condemns the electorate of different countries when they actually elect leaders that represent PEOPLE rather than monied interests. Maybe now, the EU globocrats will listen to Europeans when they voice their dissatisfaction with Europe's disasterous immigration policies.

The Aryan Soldat

I AGREE!!!!!!!!

It show some people HAVE enought!!!!!!!!

 

[danielson]

he ants to repatriate all immigrants (i.e. send them back home)

i wonder what this means for those who already have citizenship





the only reason he got in is because people didnt get off their asses to vote in the first place, and all the extreme right wingers seized the opportuinty to get a candidate in no-one wanted

now everyone will vote, and chirac will get elected. but they arenow stuck with a right wing governmetn due to voter apathy. the same thing could EASILY happen here

 

[growin']

What is the name of that "group" he belongs to? It has political backing in a bunch of different European countries, including England. Does he actually stand for removal of immigrants, or just restricting those that come in? Also, one would think, that if any were removed, they would not be the residents, but the illegals (if there are illegals in France)

This seems to be a huge swing from extreme left to right as far as the country's views go.

 

[growin']

Also, it would be interesting to see the demographic of the protestors. Are the jews and muslims primarily, immigrants, or residents? Are the only people complaining the one's that could get exported, or are they also the blue-blood French as well?

 

[tordön]

He hasn't won anything yet butr it does look like the rise of another Nazi-like moron preying on people's fear of the future. This time in France. What next, Nazi's in Jerusalem...? oh wait, we already have that.....

 

[danielson]

the national front. a group with the same name exists in the UK but no idea if its the same one





he;s said that every single crime etc is attributable to immigranmts. never mentioned illegal immigrants. illegal immigrants are already turfed out if their application fails. he's saying dot give them the opportunity to stay. no idea about whther immigrants granted citizenship will stay though




countries gone real far right though